Woman files lawsuit against University of Missouri Board of Curators, alleging retaliation for being whistleblower
Editor's note: A sentence describing who was asked to disclose client information was corrected.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A woman has sued the University of Missouri Board of Curators, alleging that the school retaliated after she reported ethical concerns and alleged mismanagement.
The petition states April Ravert had worked at the university from Aug. 15, 2006 through June 28, 2024, when her employment was terminated. The petition claims that Ravert made complaints about Bradd Anderson, who is the director of ParentLink, which gives assistance to families and children.
Court documents claim Ravert made “ongoing complaints” about Anderson since March 2023 and claims Anderson “unlawfully retaliated against her- by reassigning job responsibilities, denying support for grant submissions, placing her on a PIP (performance improvement plan), providing a reduced merit raise, excluding her from stakeholder meetings and discharging her employment.”
Ravert worked as a family support specialist and was given an award for her work, court documents say.
The petition says that Ravert disclosed that a sex offender was on ParentLink’s Kinship Caregiver Advisory Council in 2023. Court documents claim that Anderson told Ravert to not “hotline the Department of Social Services: Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline Unit until he spoke with General Counsel.”
Ravert eventually submitted a complaint to the University Ethics, Compliance, and Audit Services.
Court documents also claim there was a mismanagement of fiscal and grant funds and that another employee was requested to disclose confidential client information.
A summons was issued for the Board of Curators on Monday.
ABC 17 News has reached out to the University of Missouri and Ravert's attorney.
